Cartridge

The cartridge is the small component mounted in the headshell at the end of the tonearm that physically holds the stylus and turns the tiny mechanical vibrations picked up from the record groove into an electrical audio signal. It is arguably the single component with the biggest effect on how a turntable actually sounds.

Two main cartridge families exist, moving magnet and moving coil, differing mainly in output level and internal construction, which in turn affects what kind of phono preamp is needed to properly amplify the signal. Beyond type, stylus shape, cantilever material, and how well the cartridge is mounted and aligned all shape tonal balance, detail retrieval, and how well the stylus actually traces a groove without mistracking.

When choosing or upgrading a cartridge, check compatibility with your tonearm's mass and your phono preamp's supported input type before buying, since mismatches can lead to poor bass response or too little gain. A common beginner mistake is judging a cartridge purely by price or brand name without confirming basic compatibility with the rest of the system, or neglecting proper alignment after installing a new one, which can undo much of the benefit of an upgrade.